Sports

Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving want to play together, report says

Butler doesn't want an extension from the Timberwolves and is apparently fed up with the nonchalant attitudes of his younger teammates.

Written ByJoshua Simelton

Jimmy Butler wants to join forces with another superstar in the Eastern Conference.

Butler and Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving are trying to figure out a way to play together, a league source told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Both players reportedly want to make it happen and have explored multiple options, including trading Butler to the Celtics.

If a trade doesn't happen, both Butler and Irving can team up by opting out of their current contracts and becoming free agents after the season.

Butler doesn't want an extension from the Timberwolves and is apparently fed up with the nonchalant attitudes of his younger teammates, most notably Karl-Anthony Towns.

Back in April, Butler told the Sun-Times he doesn't think people understand how important winning is to him.

"I just had a conversation about that very thing with somebody – not important who – but I put so much into this game and I only play to win," Butler said. "I don’t play for any individual stats or accolades, any of that. And at times I get lost in how everybody is not built the way that I’m built."

It seems like the only one in Minnesota who gets where Butler is coming from is head Coach Tom Thibodeau.

"The same with Thibs. People don’t understand that he puts so much time into his craft," Butler said. "He understands what it takes. But sometimes I just look around and I don’t understand how or why you all don’t love to get better the way that I do.’’

Kyrie has already made it known he won't be signing an extension with Boston this summer, leaving the idea of a Butler-Irving backcourt a real possibility in the near future.